Expansion joint



March'28, 1939. s. GREEN ET AL EXPANSION JOINT Filed Aug. s, 1936 2Sheets-Shet 1 I I ventorS,

March 28, 1939. I s. GREEN ET AL 2,151,911

EXPANSION JOINT Filed Aug. 3, 1936' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "I, I. '0," W

Ill

- Inventors,

M w I Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Solomon Green,ls,aac Spector, and Joseph Leese, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application August 3, 1936; Serial No. 94,004

2 Claims. (Cl. 285-90) This invention relates to expansion joints forpipe lines. Pipe lines for conveying steam, water, air, gas or otherfluids, are subjected to forces set up by" the alernation of expansionand contraction, which forces not only tend to change the length of thepipe, but they set up also a twisting action. Any joint incorporated inthe length of a pipe linemust, of necessity be designed and loconstructed to withstandall such forces, and thus safeguard the centralflexible, corrugated, tubular member from rupture.

While the common form of expansion joint, with its flexible corrugatedtube has spaced cas- 15 mg rings, loosely surrounding the tube, havingthe tube anchored and sealed in end bolting flange rings, and at thesame time is readily adapted for safe changesin length, within limits,by shortening or lengthening, however, rupture 20 of the corrugated tubehas occurred from lack of proper means to resist twisting, not only asbetween the ends of the joint, as a whole, but between adjoiningcorrugations of the corrugated tube. It is therefore one of the mainobjects of 5 our invention, to provide means at the periphery of thecasing rings which can be depended upon to safely'limit any twistingaction between adjoining rings, as well as between end rings of thecasing, which will also limit the changes in length 30 of the joint,whether that change be to shorten or lengthen the joint.

Another object is to have the means which limit the full length changein the joint, serve as a cover to the individual means which limit 35the movement between adjoining rings, and thus keepoutdust, grit, earthand small stones from interfering with the functioning of the saidindividual means.

A' further objectis to provide an expansion 40 joint, which, whilefulfilling the above named objects, will be of a practical and simpleconstruction and one-which will lenditself to the usual methods andequipment for its manufacture.

. With these and other objects which will here- 45 inafter appear, ourinvention resides in certain construction. one embodiment of which isillustrated in thedrawings. The same is described andl its' usev and thefunctioning of the parts is explained and what-we claim is set forth.

a In the arawmgs,

I Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete expansion joint,embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal and axial section of 55 the joint, taken onthe line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the joint shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of one of the intermediate joint ringsbetween the end flange rings.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of fragments of 5 adjoining rings of thejoint, showing our twist resisting means mounted thereon.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the longitudinal, twistresisting, channel bars.

In the figures, the flexible corrugated tube 10 or sylphon I I), isshown to have a plurality of radially projecting corrugations betweenwhich are the valley portions I2. The tube ID has cylindrical endportions l3, tightly fitting within the large central holes in the endrings I l and I5. Each of these rings, I4 and I5, is solidcircumferentially and has a bolting flange portion I6, with bolt holesI1, and a dished flange portion I8, with a flat bottomed cupped part I9,which is larger in diameter than the corrugation II, adjoining it. Thetube I0 is flanged over at 20, at its ends, against the outside of therings, after the end rings are slipped on to the end portions I3, of thetube I0. Loosely fitting about the valley portions I2, of the tube I 0,are the intermediate rings 2|, 22, 23, and 24, each of which has halves25 and 26 with flanges 21, secured together by bolts 28 and nuts 29.Each of the intermediate rings has a peripheral flange 30,'which, withthe thin, inner, central, radial 30 portion 3|, of the ring, forms aT-section, considered taken radially and thereby provides a cuppedpocket with a flat bottom 32, on each side of the portion 3|, each beingsimilar to the flat bottomed cupped part l9, of the end rings :5

I4 and I5. These flat parts 32, are normal totheir respective rings, ofwhich they are a part, and adjoin the normally conical walls 33, of thecorrugations The walls 33 of each corrugation II, merge in itsperipheral portion 34, which is adapted to freely come within theadjoining flat pockets of adjoining rings when they come together at theflat faces 35, of their peripheral flanges 30.

Projecting from the periphery of each of the intermediate rings 2|, 22,23 and 2 3, and integral therewith, are four sets of link lugs 36 and31, each set having two lugs, there being a lug in line with each of theflat faces 35. These sets-of lugs are equally spacedon quarters, about 1the periphery of each, of the rings.

Screwed. into the flange I8, of each ring to project therefrom, are thefour bolts 38, spaced upon quarters, to be positioned in line with thelugs 36 and 31, of the intermediate rings 2|, 22, 5

23 and 24. Each bolt 38, on the end ring l4, projecting therefrom, islinked to an adjoining lug 36, of the ring 2 I, by a link 39, havinglongitudinal straight sides. Each bolt 38, on the end ring I5, is linkedto an adjoining lug 31. Links 4|, with longitudinal straight sides,connect lugs 36 and 31, of adjoining intermediate rings as 2| and 22,22and 23, and, 23 and 24, all so positioned as to form four lines of links39 and 4|. Peripherally spaced on each side of each bolt 38, areprojecting lugs 42, integral with the flanges I8, of the rings I4 andI5. Covering each line of links is a channel bar 43, of such a size andshape as to have its flanges 44, closely envelop the line of links 39and 4|, in sliding relation with the straight sides thereof. The bars 43extend the full length of the joint in its full length condition, havingthe bolts 38 extend slidingly through longitudinal slots 45, near theends of the bars. Nuts 46 are screwed down on the bolts 38, until theyslidingly fit against the bar 43. These nuts 46 are fixed in thisposition with lock nuts 41. The lugs 42 are so spaced circumferentially,as to slidingly fit the end portions of the flanges 44, of the bars 43.The lugs 42 are so shaped that the inner sides are adapted to lie flatalong the flanges 44, to resist any angular turning of the bar 43, fromits right angled position with the plane of the flange 88, of the endring.

While we have illustrated and described an expansion joint with boltingend flanges for connection with other bolting flanges, fixed upon partsof a pipe line, to be joined, it is evident that any other adaptable endconnections may be used having the remaining construction of the joint,substantially as illustrated and above described.

In use, where our expansion joint is joined with a pipe line, andproperly connected therewith, end forces, tending to compress the joint,will shorten it and may crowd all the rings l4, 2|, 22, 23, 24 and I5,together until the face 35 of contiguous rings touch and prevent furthercompression that would tend to crush the corrugations i l. However, withfaces 35 of the contiguous rings touching, and with the conical faces33, of the corrugated tube, somewhat flattened, each corrugation stillis spaced from the flat, cupped, side walls, of the thin inner portions3!, of the intermediate rings, including the cupped portions $9, of theend rings l4 and I5, and is thus saved from being crushed. As thecrowding together of the rings takes place in response to the action ofend compressing forces, the lugs 36 and 3?, of contiguous rings, cometogether, as the faces 35 touch, and the links 4! come closer together,endWise, within the flanges 44, of the channel bars 43, and theoutstanding bolts 38 slide in the slots 45, with respect to the bar 43,towards the inner ends of the slots. While the bar 43 thus moves, withrespect to the bolts 38, the bar also slips between pairs of projectinglugs 42, on

the end rings l4 and I5. This occurs with each of the bars 43, at theirfour circumferential positions, on quarters, around the rings. For anend force, tending to pull the joint apart, the links 39 and 4|, serve,by means of the lugs 36 and-31, and the bolts 38, to hold contiguousrings from separating beyond that permitted by the length limit of thelinks individually, and respectively, the slots 45, not necessarilybeing auxiliary in their function to limit the length of the joint, as awhole, but being long enough at each bolt 38, to permit the fullfunctioning of the links to carry the stretching strain coming on thejoint,

Each bar 43 closely and slidingly fits against the line of links 39 and4!, within its flanges 44,

so that the sides of these links which are prefer ably made straight,will lie in appreciable line contact against the inside of the barflanges 44,

and thus each link will be prevented from turning within the bar 43, andthereby will resist any twisting force tending to partially rotate anyone ring with respect to its contiguous ring, or rings. The lugs 36 and31, and the bolts 38, will thus be kept within the line of the bar 43,which en- 'velops them, and this line will remain parallel to the axisof the joint, as a whole. The lugs 42, being in flat contact with theouter surfaces, of the bar flanges 44, tend in an auxiliary way to keepthe bars 43, parallel with the axis of the joint.

Inasmuch as changes in the construction of our expansion joint can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention, wewish to include all forms which come within the purview of the followingclaims.

We claim,

1. In an expansion joint of the character described, having acylindrical body member made up of a series of individual cross rings,enclosing a corrugated, flexible tube, having sealed connection with theend rings of said body, connecting means upon said rings at theperiphery thereof, securing contiguous rings in adjustable spacedrelation, said means comprising a pair of radially projecting lugs,integral with each of said contiguous rings, said lugs being positionedin a line parallel to the axis of said body, having one of said lugsadjoining each face of each contiguous ring, a link connecting the lugswhich stand opposite one another and nearest the faces of two contiguousrings to limit the spacing of said rings, and a channel bar envelopingsaid links in line with one another, in spaced end relation to oneanother, and means for slidingly securing said bar to the periphery ofsaid body.

2. In an expansion joint of the character described, having acylindrical body member made up of a series of individual cross rings,enclosing a corrugated, flexible tube, having fixed connection with theend rings of said body, connecting meansupon said rings at the peripherythereof, securing contiguous rings in adjustable spaced relation, saidmeans comprising a pair of radially projecting lugs, integral with saidcontiguous rings, one of said lugs being on one of said contiguousrings, and the other of said lugs being on the other of said contiguousrings, all of said lugs, on said cross rings being positioned in a lineapproximately parallel to the axis of said body, a link connecting thelugs which stand opposite one another and nearest the faces of the twocontiguous rings they are on, to limit the spacing of said lastmentioned rings, and longitudinal means running over all of said rings,slidingly connected with said body, at its periphery, and adapted tokeep said links in line with one another.

SOLOMON GREEN. ISAAC SPECTOR. JOSEPH LEESE.

